Although she had stopped all attack actions, Athena was not about to believe Akuto's words so easily.
However, the look she gave Akuto gradually shifted from anger to caution.
"I have searched for the Gorgon Stone for a very long time. Even so, all I can sense is that it lies somewhere in Italy."
The moment "Gorgon Stone" was spoken, Athena no longer had any interest in retaliating against Akuto. Her entire focus snapped to finding the Gorgon Stone.
"Of course it's because of… this…"
"Tap~"
With a light sound, Akuto gently stepped on the ground again.
In the next second, golden dragon qi surged into the sky and shot outward in all directions.
"I see. You mean to tell me you have already completely taken control of this land through the dragon vein?" Athena instantly understood what Akuto was trying to convey.
She admitted that her attainments in formulas were inferior to Akuto's. If Akuto's mastery truly exceeded hers, then it was entirely possible he could accomplish what even she could not.
"Otherworlder, since you mentioned the Gorgon Stone, that means you intend to offer it to me, and then trade it for something, correct?"
Athena's aura gradually calmed.
"Akuto."
"Very well, Akuto. What, precisely, is your condition?" Athena looked at Akuto. She liked doing business with people as simple and direct as him.
At that, Akuto stated his terms plainly.
"My condition is simple, Athena. As long as you let me pat your head, I will deliver the Gorgon Stone to you within half a year."
"Hm?" Athena knitted her brows hard, suspecting she had misheard.
"Your condition is…?" To ensure she had not heard incorrectly, Athena asked again.
"Let me pat your head. That's my condition."
"..."
"..."
After confirming she had not misheard, Athena fell into a long silence.
Normally, once she confirmed that the terms of a deal were sound, Athena would choose to complete the transaction directly.
But this time, she truly became interested in why Akuto insisted on doing something like that.
"Why?" Athena finally could not help asking.
"Because I like it, of course," Akuto replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"You… like patting a goddess's head? What a strange habit." Athena tilted her head, making Akuto's interest flare even more.
Seeing that Athena seemed to have misunderstood the direction, Akuto smiled and shook his head.
"Judging only by appearances, it's not wrong to say I like patting a goddess's head. But the real reason is— I like patting the head of a woman I like."
"Oh?" Now Athena understood Akuto's meaning completely.
"You… are confessing your affection to me?" Athena's cool, thin lips curved into a faint smile.
"If that is the case, why not simply present the Gorgon Stone to me directly?"
As she spoke, Athena extended her small hand toward Akuto.
…
Looking at the hand Athena held out, Akuto could not help feeling both amused and exasperated.
"Athena, don't you think your understanding is a bit off?"
"I like you. What does that have to do with presenting the Gorgon Stone to you?"
"I understand very well that the Wisdom Goddess Athena would not develop any kind of 'progress' with me just because someone offered her a tribute."
"My liking is for building a relationship with the person I like— even to the point of making a lifelong vow."
"But once the two sides are unequal, it becomes impossible to move in that direction at all."
"So I, of all things, will never fall for someone who offers tribute to me, because that very act means the two sides are unequal."
"After all, a saintess or a nun who devotes herself out of faith, and a captive taken by force— from the very beginning, they are not equal existences."
Akuto was not incapable of giving things to his women, but the premise was that either the other party was already his, or the other party was someone who would repay sincerity with sincerity.
As for Athena, Akuto understood clearly: offering the Gorgon Stone would not earn him anything from her, nor would it earn him equal respect.
"Conquering a goddess…?" The curve of Athena's lips deepened. Interesting. This was interesting.
She had not expected that, beyond being amusing in himself, Akuto's manner of speaking and his way of conducting himself could be this amusing as well.
"Akuto, I admit it. Your ambition and desire have already surpassed countless sages. Even if you die someday, I will certainly engrave your name in my heart."
Just as Akuto said, his reply left an absolutely profound impression on Athena— and the stance between them was equal.
…
Slowly, Athena walked up to Akuto.
"In any case, since your 'affection' is far more shallow than I imagined, then let us proceed with the deal we just agreed upon~"
Athena was very much looking forward to seeing how Akuto intended to accomplish the feat of "conquering a goddess."
"Fair enough. After all, in a deal, you and I stand on equal footing, don't we?" Akuto smiled faintly as well and extended his hand toward Athena.
This time, Athena did not avoid him. She formally accepted Akuto's handshake.
…
A soft rustling sound followed.
Akuto's hand moved gently across Athena's smooth white hair, and Athena's small body trembled involuntarily.
Very soon, a system notification sounded in Akuto's mind.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host, you have completed the story quest — Petite Goddess Athena.]
[Quest Rank: Gold (Compared to humiliation, Athena's stronger emotion is actually curiosity).]
[Quest Requirement: Perform a head-pat on Goddess Athena for at least five seconds.]
[Note: The stronger Athena's unyielding feeling during the head-pat, the higher the bonus.]
[Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the reward: Underworld Power (Gold).]
[Underworld Power: The energy used by underworld gods and death gods. It mutually generates and restrains immortal power. If immortal power represents the ultimate vitality, then underworld power represents the ultimate death.]
[However, extremes reverse. The immortal power that represents ultimate vitality can sever another's life-origin, and the underworld power that represents death can also turn death into life.]
[Without question, the "immortal power" and the "underworld power," representing these two opposing directions of life and death, can also be converted into each other.]
…
As the "Underworld Power" merged into Akuto's body, Athena seemed to sense something and looked at him with even greater interest.
"Hm? This is… the power of the Underworld…"
"Something like that. My constitution is a bit special." Akuto spread his hands.
Now it was settled— the number of forces he would have to fuse in the future had increased by one more.
Fortunately, Akuto was already extremely experienced in fusing powers of different attributes. With the System's help, the two forces that should have repelled each other were now quietly coexisting within him. With that kind of innate condition, he was already the kind of existence for whom fusion was easiest.
"Is that so? Special, hm~ Then let me personally verify it. Exactly where is your 'specialness,' I wonder~"
As she spoke, Athena grabbed Akuto's hand that rested atop her head and guided it upward along with her own movement.
"Otherworlder, this is a goddess's reward."
"To allow two completely opposite natures of power to remain calm within your body— I very much want to see how you accomplish such a miracle."
"So…"
In this way, the distance between Athena and Akuto continued to shrink, until they were less than a handspan apart, their eyes locked.
Akuto did not use "Valon" to flee, because when he watched anime, he had always wanted to experience what it felt like to be stolen-kissed by Athena.
Kissing a goddess yourself, and being kissed by a goddess— those were two entirely different experiences.
So Akuto deliberately put on an expression of resistance, bracing both hands as if preparing to break free by force.
Akuto understood clearly: facing a goddess like Athena, he could not simply comply with her wishes.
Noticing Akuto's reaction, the smile at Athena's lips deepened. She had thought the boy who spoke of conquering a goddess would be more mature, but he was merely an unripe fruit— flustered the moment she drew close.
In the next second, Athena exerted strength with both hands, restraining Akuto's arms. Surrounded by dark divine power, she leaned in and claimed his lips.
Under normal circumstances, contact like this would have been enough for Athena to probe Akuto's information thoroughly.
But during the head-pat just now, Athena had already attempted to investigate Akuto through physical contact, and she had failed. With mere surface contact, Athena could not extract any information from Akuto at all.
Athena's guess was that Akuto's constitution might resemble that of a Campione, making it impossible to cast from the outside. In fact, Akuto's body might be even more special.
Because even when facing a Campione, Athena would not be as completely unable to read anything as she was when facing Akuto.
So Athena decided that if the surface was useless, she would apply her method from within.
Akuto first felt a soft pressure, and instinctively— for an instant— he almost reacted without thinking.
Then he abruptly remembered the persona he was maintaining and forced himself to keep his composure.
"Hm?" Athena was a little bothered by Akuto's brief, reflexive reaction and his immediate restraint, but there were more important matters at hand.
A moment later, Athena's power pressed through that last sliver of resistance, and she proceeded without hesitation.
(End of Chapter)
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